


A Backwards Walk

by etacanis



Series: Generation Kill/Fallout: New Vegas fusion 'verse [1]
Category: Fallout: New Vegas, Generation Kill
Genre: Alternate Universe - Fusion, Gen, Post-Apocalypse
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-07-20
Updated: 2012-07-20
Packaged: 2017-11-10 09:10:22
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 596
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/464615
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/etacanis/pseuds/etacanis
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>When the man walks into camp, Nate isn't quite sure what to think of him.</p>
            </blockquote>





	A Backwards Walk

**Author's Note:**

> Written for mine & [pointblankdarcy](http://archiveofourown.org/users/pointblankdarcy/works)'s prompt challenge. Prompt was _'Nobody likes being alone that much. I don't go out of my way to make friends, that's all. It just leads to disappointment'._ I play too much Fallout.
> 
> **Notes & Backstory:**   
> ~~For people who aren't ridiculously addicted to this stupid video game.~~
> 
> Nate is a Lieutenant in the New California Republic Army. He's currently posted in Primm - a town that had once been the "budget Vegas" now controlled mostly by escaped convicts. In the game, the NCRA are USELESS AS SHIT I SWEAR TO FUCKING GOD. My character had to go and clear the fucking town HER DAMN SELF and it only worked because you can steal shit from people you've killed and they all had the ammo I needed. Other than that, I suppose you could say all of Nate's actions are ~AU~? Especially the end. Idek, I just love New Vegas and the world is really awesome.

When the man walks into camp, Nate isn't quite sure what to think of him. He introduces him as _Colbert_ and doesn't holster his gun, even though there's a rifle on his back and a revolver on his thigh. His clothes are covered in the dust of the desert, torn at the knees and blood stained in patches so Nate turns a blind eye when he picks through footlockers and crates for something else to wear. He takes body armour, stuffing it deep in his bag alongside powder ganger uniforms and a tire iron. He doesn't explain either when he catches Nate looking.

"You're the Lieutenant here?" Colbert asks, settling himself on the chair behind Nate's desk. The pistol stays close to hand. It's too dark in the tent to make out the intricacies of his expression, but it doesn't stop Nate from trying. He's clean shaven, even though the dirt seems to be a part of him, his nails dark with it, sand in the creases of his eyes. He keeps his face set, his eyes hard and his lips straight and doesn't give away a single thing. If he had to make assumptions, Nate would guess he'd been a soldier, once. "You're in charge?"

"Yes," Nate says as he sits on the wrong side of the desk. It's strange to be on this side, to be able to see the patchwork of material that's usually behind his head. It's uncomfortable. Colbert probably knows that. "There used to be the Captain too," he adds. "But there was an incident."

"With the convicts?" Nate nods. "Aren't you going to do something about them?"

"Our orders are to stem the flow, as it were. We keep them in the town." Colbert raises an eyebrow at that, looks distinctly unimpressed as he shifts in his seat. "I feel sorry for the town's people but we don't have enough supplies." He sighs and gets to his feet, glances to the door of the tent and back to Colbert. "You're more than welcome to get some sleep," he says, a vague gesture aimed towards the spare bedroll in the corner. "You look like you could use it."

 

Colbert is asleep when Nate gets back from his rounds, his guns still close to hand, even as he snores. It's almost uncomfortable for Nate to go to sleep himself, but he manages. He tries not to think about how close he keeps his gun.  
When he wakes up, Colbert is gone, along with the contents of three crates of ammo and bottles of water. When he climbs up onto what's left of the roof of one of the old buildings, he can hear the gunfire - more constant, more disciplined than usual. The men look at him with wide eyes when he comes back down.

"He blew up the mines on the bridge too," Corporal Person says, calling from his position near the bridge. "It was kind of badass."

 

Two days later, Colbert's in his tent again. His clothes more bloodstained than before, but he still doesn't set his pistol down.

"The town's clear," he says, staring down at Nate with the same impenetrable expression as before. "But they could use some law. The deputy sheriff is a fucking asshole."

"Orders," Nate says, with a sigh. "We don't have the men. If we had more men-"

"I'll find you them." Colbert's already shouldering his bag, already turning towards the door before Nate speaks up.

"I'll come with you," he says. "Somebody has to do something."

That's the first time he sees Colbert smile.


End file.
